Domesticated animals represent a major source of economy, food, and employment. Large livestock such as cattle are raised on expansive farms across the country. Such large expanses of farm are a basic requirement for raising such livestock, due to their need for exercise as well as their need for a constant source of fresh grazing areas. In addition to being moved for purposes of grazing, such animals must also be moved in a controlled manner for purposes such as feeding, buying, selling, marketing, and the like.
The need to move such animals occurs on a daily basis in large livestock operations. However, the movement can be somewhat difficult due to the large size and reluctance of the animals. Many traditional methods such as horses, whips, and dogs are unreliable, inefficient, and unpredictable. Current methods include items such as electric cattle prods; however, such methods are considered to be inhumane by many parties.
Various attempts have been made to provide apparatuses to aid in the control and movement of large animals or livestock. Examples of these attempts can be seen by reference to several U.S. patents. U.S. Pat. No. 2,576,188, issued in the name of McPherson, describes a cattle guard apparatus. The McPherson apparatus comprises a stationary fence-type animal deterring barrier which attempts to keep livestock or other such domesticated animals away from a specific area.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,940, issued in the name of Koehn, describes a animal sorting tool with a poking tip. The Koehn device is a tool specifically designed to prod animals for sorting purposes in a non-painful manner.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives, each of these references suffer from one (1) or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. Many such devices are expense to purchase or maintain, especially for small entity users. Also, many such devices are difficult or unwieldy to operate. In addition, many such devices are extremely heavy and uncomfortable when used over the course of hours or days. Furthermore, many such devices use means which are considered by some to be cruel, inhumane, or physically abusive in order to control the animals. Accordingly, there exists a need for a prod for livestock which allows a user to manipulate and move large animals without the disadvantages as described above. The development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills this need.